Progress Pittsburgh

Here are some blog posts, article and links that you may have missed.

• Wonkette: The D.C. Gossip » Blog Archive » Wonkette Sexy Election Parties Coast 2 Coast & Around the World – Pittsburgh makes the list of sexy election parties.
• State ordered to be ready sooner with paper ballots – PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania election officials will make paper ballots available to voters if half the machines at a polling place break down, they said, declining to appeal a federal judge's emergency order yesterday.

  The state has previously required that paper ballots only be offered if all the machines break down, but several voter groups filed a lawsuit last week in which they said long lines at the polls could disenfranchise voters.

• Pennsyvania Voter’s Bill of Rights – Please share this post/document with everyone. Important information to have on hand for election day. Includes the Election Protection phone number.

In case you haven’t had a chance to read up on this in the local blogosphere (GrassrootsPA, Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents, Draft Chelsa 2009, Mark Rauterkus) Bill Peduto and Chelsa Wagner are hosting a joint Halloween Party at the Priory for some Northside Charity.

“The Life of the Party” Halloween Party
featuring live music by: The Old E Allstars, DJ Omar Abdul
Friday, October 31st from 8 to 11pm
The Grand Hall at the Priory,614 Pressley Street, Northside
Cost is $10 with costume; $20 without
All proceeds benefit Northside charity

We have heard a lot of people, including the Trib ask about what this party is all about.

So are you going to go?

 Loading ...

There is a ballot initiative in Pennsylvania to support a bond issue for water infrastructure. You should support it and here is why.

Clean water? Vote ‘yes’
Ballot question targets funding source

Sunday, October 26, 2008
BY TANYA DIEROLF

On Nov. 4, we will be deciding more than the next president. We in Pennsylvania can also cast a vote for clean water.

A ballot question will ask Pennsylvanians to approve a $400 million bond issue to fund the Water and Sewer Systems Assistance Act. Voting “yes” will cut the pollution in our local waterways and help rescue and restore our failing and aging infrastructure.

More »

Image by PMAHCC via FlickrWe looked on the city of Pittsburgh website, but there is no sign up for a newsletter.  Thought other might want to see the update from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

+++++++++++++++++++

CITY OF PITTSBURGH
“America’s Most Livable City”
Office of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl

Dear Neighbors,

Over a six month period during 2007, I hosted 10 Neighborhood Forums throughout the City.  I, along with all City directors, engaged in dialogue with more than 650 residents during the forums.  I reported on the state of the City, while challenging residents to envision their neighborhoods 10 years ahead, laying the groundwork for future initiatives.  My Office of Neighborhood Initiatives collected and analyzed the feedback from each of the forums, highlighting the top three issues and concerns: 1) public safety; 2) blight; and 3) economic development.  My staff has attended community meetings and block watch events throughout the past year following the forums and has continued to analyze feedback on issues of high priority and concern with residents.   Public safety has remained a recurrent issue at neighborhood community meetings. More »

Image via WikipediaThere are a number of groups recruiting and coordinating volunteers for election day outside of the campaigns. Here are the groups we know of, and we have included training dates that we know. Some of these groups are working on non-partisan activitees too.
League of Young Voters - will be doing voter turnout

• Trainings
  • Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 7-8pm @ League Office, 6101 Penn Ave
  • Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 7-8pm @ United Steelworkers Office, 1945 Lincoln Highway, North Versailles

Everybody Vote/866OurVote.org - non partisan voter protection and assistance

• Trainings
  • Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 10am-Noon, Hill House Conference Room A
  • Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 6:30-8:30pm, Hill House Conference Room A
  • Saturday, November 1, 2008, 4-6pm, Hill House Conference Room A
  • Monday, November 3, 2008, 10am-Noon, Hill House Conference Room B
  • Monday, November 3, 2008, 6:30-8:30p, Hill House Conference Room B

Here are some blog posts, article and links that you may have missed.

• City Council, Law Department spar over board appointments – Pittsburgh Council President Doug Shields declared a "constitutional crisis" in the city today, as council and the Law Department spar over Home Rule Charter rules governing board appointments. Council decided to hold an as-yet-unscheduled special meeting to try to untangle what has become a contentious issue inside of city government.
• Son-in-law details his state-paid work on Fumo’s mansion – more details of your tax dollars at work
• New @ Everybody Vote » What is Video The Vote? – help document election day with the Video the Vote project

The beat cop is a much coveted neighborhood tool. Neighborhood groups across the City, beg and plead with their Zone Commanders and the Mayor to acquire just a few hours a week of such a person’s time. In an article in today’s P-G, the questions is raised, “Will Squirrel Hill get a dedicated beat cop?”

If any neighborhood needs a beat cop, it’s not Squirrel Hill. However, because the neigbors and businesses there fussed (and have a lot of money…to contribute to political campaigns) (and turn out to vote), it looks like a distinct possibility.

This is just another example of how community and economic development decision-making in this city is based on politics, not what’s best for the City. Police allocation decisions should be made on crime data. Yes, it’s that simple. And someone should tell Squirrel Hill that it’s got the safest, wealthiest neighborhood in the city and it doesn’t need a beat cop. Oh, wait, they know:

“We don’t have any big, bad issues,” said Mr. Sigal.

Here are some blog posts, article and links that you may have missed.

• Watch Election Protection Training on PCTV – PCTV.org will be showing a video recording of election protection trainings all week.
• Hart-Altmire debate canceled – "Unfortunately, Congressman Altmire could not attend (tomorrow night's) debate because they rescheduled it without conferring with us and we had a conflict," said Tess Mullen, the Altmire campaign spokeswoman.
• Sen. Obama caught in double play – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – The Chelsa Wagner – Bill Peduto Halloween party makes the Trib whispers column this week.

Here are some blog posts, article and links that you may have missed.

• Meet the Real Joes – Keystone Progress is interviewing real Joes. We've travelled around Pennsylvania and we've met some very interesting people who we believe represent the reality of Joe-ness. Check out these video interviews
• Our Vote Live | Allegheny County, PA – This site lists real time lists of voting problems that have been reported in Allegheny County. Check it out if you want to see what issues are being reported here. This site also offers reports for all of the US.
• Trick or Vote! – October 31st – Nationwide GOTV canvass

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeTuesday, October 28th, 2008
6:00 pm – 8:00pm
Diesel Club Lounge, 1601 E. Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

RSVP on Facebook here.

Are you PUMPed about the upcoming Presidential election?! Join PUMP & Diesel Club Lounge for a spirited night of debate on the issues that are permeating the upcoming Presidential Election. We are proud to host two teams of elected officials and community leaders ready to square off in support of Presidential Candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.

Special Guests include:

• Team McCain
  • Senator Jane Orie, Pennsylvania’s 40th District
  • Meghan Jones-Rolla, Attorney with Meyer Darragh
  • Bill Green, Republican Strategist
• Team Obama
  • Patrick Dowd, PittsburghCity Councilman, District 7
  • W.M. Nzambi, CFP®, Financial Advisor, Mariner Financial Group

This Event is Free, and a cash bar will be available. As we move closer to November 4th, come celebrate Democracy with PUMP!

Watch the debate.  Have a drink. Go vote.

For more information, please contact Erin Molchany at 412.338.2133 ext 10 or erin@pump.org
A program of the PUMP Civic Engagement Committee

Here are some blog posts, article and links that you may have missed.

• City hires coordinator to help it become greener – Mayor Luke Ravenstahl today announced he has hired the author of the Green Government Task Force's study on how to make city government more environmentally friendly as the city's first "sustainability coordinator."

  Lindsay A. Baxter, who is working towards a master's degree in environmental science and management from Duquesne University, will be charged with implementing the report she wrote for the task force. She began work Monday and will be paid $45,347.

• The Ravenstahl Administration suspends Costa again – this time he gets 4 days for making "insubordinate comments." Costa apologizes and looks forward to getting back to work.
• WireTap Magazine – 20 Questions With Billy Wimsatt – This is a great interview with Billy Wimsatt who is the founder of the League of Young Voters – he talks alot about some of the work that is happening in organizing – the article has some great links to other organizations and resources

Here are a couple of items that you might consider more fun than the usual election hoo-ha.

— – — – — – — – — – —

“I look at these people and can’t quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention? To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. “Can I interest you in the chicken?” she asks. “Or would you prefer the platter of sh*t with bits of broken glass in it? To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.”

- Author David Sedaris, on undecided voters

— – — – — – — – — – —

Here are some blog posts, article and links that you may have missed.

• UPMC laying off 500 this week – maybe they could have saved a little cash by not putting a sign on the building downtown.
• Hart-Altmire debate postponed – Sarah Palin's arrival is the reason for the postponment.
• What Jack Murtha and Barack Obama get wrong about race and class in western Pennsylvania. – By Dennis B. Roddy – Slate Magazine – Dennis Roddy writing for Slate.com takes a look at Murtha's comment and race play in Western PA – especially older working class Western PA.
• VoteAllegheny accepts audit of Allegheny County voting machines – Members of the advocacy group VoteAllegheny this morning said they are satisfied with Allegheny County's software audit of 18 touch-screen voting machines, even though they would have preferred a bigger random-sample audit size.

Last week, Council Members Kraus, Peduto, and Shields introduced an ordinance to require reporting of lost or stolen firearms.

This is an issue that has been raised at the state level but House Bill 29 did not make it out of Judiciary Committee this session. It was voted down, reconsidered, and tabled.

A City ordinance would not only protect citizens of Pittsburgh by helping to prevent illegal gun sales, but it would send a message to the PA General Assembly that we need state-wide legislation. The City ordinance states:

No person who is the owner of a firearm that is lost or stolen shall fail to report the loss or theft to an appropriate local law enforcement official within 24 hours after discovery of the loss or theft.

This legislation will be up for discussion at the City Council meeting this Wednesday, October 22nd at 10:00 a.m. in Council Chambers (5th Floor, City-County Building).

Here are some blog posts, article and links that you may have missed.

• Pop City Forum: Making Pittsburgh Bike Friendly : Venture Outdoors – Thursday, October 23
  6:00 PM
  Shadow Lounge, Highland Ave and Baum Blvd
  What does Pittsburgh need to do to become a bike-friendly city? Here’s your chance to find out as Steve Patchan, the new bicycle/pedestrian coordinator for Pittsburgh shares the spotlight with Scott Bricker, director of Bike Pittsburgh and Amy Garbark, USA cycling official who is implementing Pittsburgh’s premiere urban cycling program for high school students.

  The discussion will include the audience and will be moderated by Matt Stroud, writer and cyclist who just completed a cross-country bike trip from Boston to San Francisco.

• UNNATURAL CAUSES | CALIFORNIA NEWSREEL – Do we ALL have an EQUAL chance for HEALTH?

  Community House Presbyterian Church invites you to JOIN US for FREE community conversations about community wellness, health and race.

  Wednesday, October 22, 2008

  7:00 PM – Screening and Community Conversation

  Join us for a FREE community conversation & screening of "Unnatural Causes," a provocative PBS documentary series that challenges fundamental beliefs about what makes Americans healthy- or sick – and offers new remedies for an ailing society. How are health outcomes affected by race and culture?

  Conversation, coffee and a selection of African delicacies
  compliments of Atlantiques Catering follows the screening.

  WHERE: Community House Church, central North Side,
  120 Parkhurst Street, 15212 (corner of Sandusky and Parkhurst, across
  from AGH emergency room entrance)

  FREE Parking: AGH Sandusky Lot, corner of North Avenue and Sandusky

  Special Thanks to Pittsburgh's North Side Rotary

• Good Bye Guy? – Public Works Director Guy Costa, who oversees that bureau, has also been suspended for one day for failing to act quickly enough on the matter, and he said he may reconsider his employment with the city because of the way the news reached him.